Sinar Mas Becoming Palm Oil Pariah

“At long last, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has taken a first step toward holding Sinar Mas accountable. Greenpeace research as well as a Sinar Mas-commissioned audit show that the company has broken Indonesian law and RSPO standards.

"For too long, companies like Sinar Mas have hidden behind the RSPO, suggesting that membership in the industry group was sufficient to address growing problems with the production of palm oil in rainforest and peatland areas. It seemed there was no bar low enough to trigger expulsion from the group. Sinar Mas may have just changed that.

"Even if Sinar Mas begins taking steps outlined by the RSPO, it will hardly be enough to solve its problems, or erase the massive brand liability it poses to corporate customers around the world. This is just the latest clear sign that Sinar Mas palm oil is bad for business. If companies like Pizza Hut and Dunkin’ Donuts — who have been listed as key global clients of Sinar Mas — needed more motivation, this should be it.”